Accused Aurora theater killer James Holmes was rejected as a candidate for the PhD neuroscience program at the University of Alabama Birmingham, according to documents released by the university Thursday morning.

Despite high marks for his laboratory work, knowledge and scores on graduate school admissions tests, Holmes personality apparently troubled professors during interviews and he was informed on March 31, 2011, that he would not be admitted to UAB’s program.

“Many well qualified students which (sic) forced the committee to make difficult decisions,” a letter to Holmes said. “We regret to inform you that you have not been recommended for admission.”

Holmes went on to enroll at the University of Colorado Denver, but performed poorly and withdrew after the spring semester this year, just before police say he burst into an Aurora movie theater on July 20 during a showing of the new Batman film “The Dark Knight Rises.” Twelve people were killed and another 58 injured. Holmes awaits trial on multiple counts of murder and attempted murder.

The UAB application packet shows that professors there gave him high marks for his knowledge, but were still troubled by his personality. Nonetheless, the interviewers agreed he should be considered a top candidate for admission.

“I think this is a top student to recruit,” one unidentified interviewer wrote. “His personality may not be as engaging as some applicants, but he is going to be a leader in the future.”

That interviewer rated Holmes as “outstanding.” Another unidentified interviewer, however, rated him only as “good.”

“He may be extremely smart, but difficult to engage,” that interviewer wrote. “Hard to tell how interested he is — maybe he just wasn’t interested in my research.”

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